ENTERTAINMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20795, 11 February 1931, Page 9

ENTERTAINMENTS.

MAJESTIC THEATRE. " jSafety .in Numbers," a bright-comedy-drama in which' Charles Rogers' is ' given a typically boyish" role) will be screened for the last time at.the Majestic Theatre to-morrow. Rogers is sepn as a young man who is about to inherit a fortune, and whose guadians undertake his " education", in, the hard school of experience. His adventures with three chorus girls who have been given the task of warning him against the snares of the world provide'many hilarious scenes; 'lncluded in the fine supporting programme is a vivid film of the earthquake disaster in Hawke's Bay. /' THE DAWN PATROL." } A remarkable aviation , picture,, " The Dawn Patrol," will commence a season at the Majestic Theatre on Friday. • - The picture, which was produced by the Warner Brothers and Vitaphone studios, has been acclaimed by critics qot only.for the spectacular scenes of aeronautics it presents but also for the powerful human story unfolded. The cast, which does not include one woman, is headed by Richard Barthelmess, and Douglas Fairbanks, junr., Neil Hamilton and 46 highlyqualified pilots also takd part. Tho story is thrilling with its deeds of heroism. Described as a romance of the tragic realism of the war it concerns the use made of inexperienced youths taken from school and forced, because of the shortage of military material, to go tip to almost certain death in antiquated aeroplanes. Photographically tho production shows marvellous technique in the scenos depicting the aerial battles. , . . •' ; CIVIC THEATRE. Tho wonders of modern plastic surgery make feasible the unusual plot of " Scotland Yard," tho drama of a criminal's reformation which is. approaching the close of its season at the Civic Theatre. Dakin Barrolles, a notorious criminal, played with a fine senso of the exactions of tho role by Edmund Lowe, is traced by the police with an accomplice to a country inn and joins the Army in the hope of escaping detection. It is at this point in the narrative that the plot an unexpected turn. The mans face is'unrecognisably mutilated in battle and his features are by chance remodelled to the likeness of an influential bank president, reported missing at the front. Grasping the opportunity so easily within his reach Barrolles determines to masquerade as the financier. Returning to London he assumes the normal life of the man he is impersonating, and audaciously plans the theft of valuable securities from the bor.k of which he is to all intents and purposes the president. His love for; a woman, however, is the cause of the former criminal's regeneration, but his refusal to betray his accomplice results in his capture by Scotland Yard detectives. NATIONAL THEATRE. The salient features of the historic Crimean War have been astutely blended into a delightful romantic story in "Balaclava," tho British production which is enjoying a successful season at the National Theatre. From the opening scene, in which a young officer of the 93rd Highlanders is provoked to a duel with the over-bearing sergeant .of the 15th Hussars through the latter's cruelty toward a private of his regiment, the action of the story gradually becomes more tense, culminating in the heroic Charge of the Light Brigade. Critics state that the charge, filmed under the active supervision of the War Office, represents one of the most inspiring; spectacles portrayed on the talking screen. The central characters are portrayed by accomplished English artists, prominent among whom are Cyril Mc- ' Laglen and Miss Benita Hume, wellknown on the London stage. STRAND THEATRE. Lowell Sherman, a brilliant actor who has rapidly come;to the fore since the advent of the talking picture, gives a splendid characterisation of a man who unscrupulously turns a foolish prank into a cruel tragedy in -" Midnight Mystery," which heads the attractive double-feature programme at the Strand Theatre. The second picture, " Love in the Rough," is a 1 sparkling comedy.

PLAZA THEATRE. A 1 Jolson, tho well-known American music hall artist, whose first talking pic- , ture, "The Singing Fool," made him popular, is called upon to portray dramatic role in "Big Boy," the appealing film which is attracting large audiences at the Plaza Theatre. In the part of a. negro jockey of exceptional musical talent, the actor invests the'role with characteristic charm. Not the least important factor contributing to the undoubted success of the picture is the singing of A 1 Jolson. The value of melodrama, capably interpreted, as a medium for entertainment, is shown in "The Way of All Men," a portrait of human character dealing with the reactions of various types of people under stress. A motley collection of human beings becomes trapped in an •underground saloon through the collapse of the levees of the Mississippi River and with'the prospect of an awful death looming gradually nearer, each person's elemental nature is laid bare. Douglas Fairbanks, junior, and Noah Beery, interpret the leading male characters.

"HALF SHOT AT SUNRISE." Robert Woolsey and Bert Wheeler, the two inimitable stage comedians who won a secure place in the favour of picture enthusiasts by their robust humour in "Rio Rita," and, more recently, in "The Cuckoos," will be eagerly awaited by Auckland audiences in "Half Shot'at Sunrise," which comes to the Plaza Theatre on Friday As the title suggests, the film is a riotous war burlesque in which the- buffoonery of the two "doughboys" on leave in Paris is an unfailing provocation to merriment. Besides being one of the most amusing of recent contributions to the screen the production is said to reach a new level of magnificence, some of the elaborate settings being specially constructed for the film, two gorgeous palaces and a whole city block of Paris. The cast, in addition to the 15 principals, comprises over 2000 "extras."

ROXY THEATRE. " Murder Will Out," a sensational drama, will be one of two interesting pictures to bo screened at the Roxy Theatre this evening. Jack Mulhall, Noah Beery and Li!a Lee play the leading roles. The second attraction will ' be " Dancing Sweeties." a bright musical comedy, in which Grant Withers and Sue Carol appear. The story deals with the difficulties of modern young people with limited incomes. Several musical numbers, including the appealing " Kiss Waltz," are features of the production. ORPHEUS THEATRE. Dramatic views of the Hawke's Bay disaster will be screened at the Orpheus Theatre, Otahuhu, this evening. The main picture will be " The Benson Murder Case," a mystery film, with a well-con-ceived plot. TUDOR THEATRE. Dumb-Bells in Ermine" and " The Love Racket" will be the main attractions at the Tudor Theatre this evening. MUNICIPAL BAND CONCERT. An excellent programme has been prepared for the recital to be given in the Domain by the Auckland City Municipal Band this evening. EMPRESS THEATRE. "Big Boy" and "Way of All Men" will be the attractions at the Empress Theatre this evening.

. ST. JAW THEATRE. " Young; Woodley," ' a -picture which move 3 audiences by the truth and beauty of the story told and the fine acting of the cast, will be shown for the last time at St. James* Theatre'to-morrow. Based on'the stage play by John Van Druten, it traces the ' growth of a- hopeless love entertainoa by a' young : public school ! boy' for the wife of his master. She 5 herself feels greatly attracted by the idealistic- ladj ri who lias 'so niariy interests s in common with her. 1 "' The friendship grows, vied away by his romanticism, the boy makes an avowal of his love. At this stage,'"the headmaster enters the' ( room and discovers the two in each others' arras,- The tragedy and hopelessness,of the affair are apparent, both to the boy and the woman, and it is in tlie v portrayal of the changes of outlook which' follow that many of the finest scenes in the picture occur. The principal nart, that of-Woodley, is taken by Frank Lawton, who created the role on the London stage.- The rest of the cast is made up of prominent English stage players. There is a fine supporting programme, headed by a film which shows in an unforgettable manner the tragedy of the Hawke's Bay earthquake. On Friday " Old English," a brilliant character study, will open a season. Mr. George Arliss, the English actor, whose portrayal of Benjamin Dis-. raeli in " Disraeli" brought him into prominence on the screen, plays the title role. ' . ' . REGENT THEATRE. ... Frederick Lonsdale's adroitness in depicting novel situations and writing sparkling dialogue is evident throughout " Canaries Sometimes Sing," the British film version of his • delightful comedy of manners which is assured of a.most successful season at the Regent Theatre. Mr. Tom Walls, who Wilt be remembered for his splendid performances both in " Rookery Nook and "On Approval," is inimitable in the part' of a playwright whoso humorous and philosophic resignation to his fate as the husband of a "highbrow" woman, whose sole aim in life is to cultivate the acquaintance of celebrities, is the source of constant merriment. Into the lives of this strangely-assorted pair come '/' an old school friend and his wife, the former a pompous and slow-witted man whose professed ambition is'"'to carry on the traditions of the English gentleman," and the latter a one-time actress' who throws convention to the winds. Recognising kindred spirits, the ponderous Englishman is attracted by his feminine counterpart and a. series of comical episodes lead up to his subsequent discovery of the shallowness of the woman's affected gentility. Further farcical comedy is provided by the effort! of their respective partners to promote a romance between the pair. TIVOLI AND RIALTO THEATRES. . Sights never before seen by white men are shown in the fascinating travel film "Africa Speaks," which will be screened at the Tivoli and Rialto Theatres again this evening. One of the most impressive scenes is that recording the devastation of a whole countryside by a scourge of locusts. Other thrilling episodes show the hunting, of man-eating lions by a band of natives armed only with spears and cowhide shields. The sound recording is excellent and the film as a whole is particularly interesting. On Friday the witty English comedy "On Approval" will open a season. ; t:'" LYRIC THEATRE. "" A simple and appealing story of a father's self-sacrifice is told in "The Richest Man in the World," the main picture in the current programme at the Lyric Theatre. In it the veteran stage actor Louis Mann takes the part of a middle-class man who toils all his life to make his family happy, who is-at first repaid with ingratitude, but who finally is rewarded with returns that make him consider himself- the "richest man in the world.'.'. A Laurel and Hardy comedy is also on the programme. SANDRINGHAM CINEMA. / ' "The Vagabond King," a stirring screen operetta set in one of the most picturesque periods of French history, will he screened at the Sandringham Cinema this evening. ..££ ' CAPITOL THEATRE. "Born Reckless," at the Capitol Theatre this evening, is an amusing comedy-drama in which Edmund LoWe appears as a daring "gangster.

CRYSTAL PALACE THEATRE. . "Disraeli," the thrilling semi-historical study of a dramatic > episode in British history, will be screened for the last time at the Crystal Palace Theatre this evening. —————=======